Air vent for radiators



E. s. ALEXANDER Feb. 24, 1931.

- AIR VENT FOR RADIATORS Filed Dec. 13, 1928 l 29 J5 J0 J2 Patented Feb. 24,1931

annrs, T vacuum; J SPECIALTIES" I A oonronarrron or'nEw EnsEY.

Am vain s mums-1 anaem a. fil d Decenioer 13, i928. Serial 110.325,?49?

This invention relates to animproved air vent for radlators which isconstructed so that it is closed by'an increase in temperature or by the entry of amaterial amount of? "water into the casing of the valve or vent.

The improvement residesdna mounting for the thermostatic elements and an adjust able means accessible from the outside of the casing, these parts being economicallypro iduced andeasily assembled.

Another feature of the invention is a breather which is used when-necessary as an auxiliary'to the mainvalve which breather acts, especially in vacuum systems, to prevent the return of air'to the heatingsystem when the fluid in the system becomes cooler after heating. 7 a

The invention also has for its object the provision of a thermo'staticmember and a 0 valve operated thereby and a support for the thermostatic member, all these acting to vibrate the valve slightly when itc'loses and when it opens. Thisflmovement rubs the valve slightly on lts closlng and opening,

assures its seating and keeps the valve clean.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawlngs n which Flgure 1 1s a cross-section of an air valveembodying my invention. Figure 2 is a section on line 2'.2 3 V in Figure 1 and Figure 33 in Figure 1.

3 is a section on line The valve comprises'any suitable form of casing and I show one comprising a barrel v 7 arranged in vertical allgnnient and when I This lug is screwed into'the radiator wall and I may. use the siphon ;pipe 14 if'desired. On the top of the casing is the plate 'orpartition15.,

which supports thevalve thimble 17w'hich in turn is secured to the dome 18.f The spider 19 at the bottom of the dome and engaging the stem 16 prevents the dome from engaging the side walls of the casing and this prevents capillary attraction and-consequent rise of water in the valve. The dome is provided with longitudinal grooves 20 for the same purpose and for the further purpose of allowing enough vent to prevent a sudden gust of .close the valve. ,The valve 21 is at the top of1the:stem, asl wonthe-thimble 17 and is disposed so that when it rises. it closes Y EARL s. AL XANDER, or rnvrns'rlonr irnw gnu-suit," assienon; B m-Stalemaoonrolmrion, 0F JERSEY CITY; NEW ERSEY,

air to'force'the domesuddenly upward. to i the opening 22 in the top plate 15.

Arranged between'. the bottom of thnnble 17, and a suitable stop such as the shoulder or plate 23 is a series voftherino,--

.stat-ic'strips eachstrip 2& being. bent into curved form and arranged oneon the other. I

' The preferred'form is one of a'U-sh'ape with the stem passing throughthe stackto hold the 2 strips in'vertical position. The stripsare of any usual type usually with the brass strip on the inside togfacilitate the easy distortion orpartial straightening of the strips under increased heat. The action is multipliedby the arrangement of one on the other andfthe closing and opening of the valve 21 isprompt and positive. ,1 For preventing the thermostatlc strips 24 from getting out of alignment and insuring their turning togetherif they turn, I place a strip 25; so that it engages gt-llSlClGS of the strips .24 and bend the ends 26 so thatItheir ceive the stem 16. a

The stemre'sts in the bottom of therecess in theboss. 28, when adjustmentis desired the screw 29 can be placed in lieu of a solid bottom and the valve 21 relative to the seat 22. I f I p p The U-shaped thermostatic strips 24 are thus located they expand their jpoints .of contact are The expansion of the strips is not constant and even but slightly vibrative. This, coupledwith the loose fit of the stem in the 'In the chamber of the casingis the stem 16 boss 28, gives to the valve 21 a shaky vibrating ascent as .itcloses on the seat22. This dislodges'any minute particles on the valve seat, rubs {the valve to clean it of particles andperforat-ions 27 reworks the valve into its seat which isjdifferent' and of marked advantage over. astraight push. .;When the valve 21 is finally seated the thermostatic members are supported at their ends, one on the other. They. are kept in alignment by the; strip 25 but the parts can freely revolve and-this also; tends to keep the broad to prevent, water being, retained therestrong pressure.

valve and valve seat clear of dust and small particles and thus insure a tight seal when the valve is shut. V

, In the top of the valve I place a breather and this is usually installed in a chamber 30- formed by theyca-p 31 and the recessedvto'piof the plate 15, This chamber is mademrather in by-capillary;attraction; The cap hasf one, or'more' outlets32. 1 Below the outlet 32 and above the'opening 22 is'the plate 33 securely held and usually f of stiff sheet metal. On this plate is a flap 34 of very thin material and it-is secu-red lby meanssuch as the rivet35.

The material ofthe flap is of a. nature. to flutter easily under pressure from within the valveso that-air can pass out oi the hole 36 in the plate 33. Z'Underl the influenceot a 1 slight currentin, the other direction,- that is from the atmosphere the strip 34 will close. theopening 36. But Iihave gone further and provided a-dished or recessed. area 37 aroundthe hole 36'and' this allows the plateor flap 36 to'bedepressed intothe area 37 under On excess pressure, however which requires the admission of some air, the flap 34b is suckedv in until it engages the'very' edge of the opening 36 and. enough distortion or wrinkling. of the flap 36' takes place to all'owair to pass through these slightly uneven places. The material that 1- find best adapted for'thi's function in the flap is'a thin sheet of mica 7 one end on a dishe'd'valveseatso that it is freely opened'under pressure from within the valve casing, and pressed into the dished valve seat and therebyslightly opened at its; free end under excessive pressur etrom the outside.

2. Am jair valve for radiators having-a case ing with an outlet opening a thermostatic valve for closing the opening, a breather above the outlet opening and comprising a plate with anopening therein, and a flap on, the opening; said flap consisting ofvva thin strip of flexible material to freelyopenunder outward pressure and adapted to be distorted to an irregular form and thereby opened un-; der excess inward pressure.

3'. "An air valve for radiators havinga case ing' th an-'out1e p ning', a thermostatic llisk h valve for closing the opening, a breather above the outlet opening and comprising a plate having an opening with its edges dished downwardly and a flap of thin mica secured so as to; rest on: theopening v,

4.2: An air-event comprising-1a casing. having arvalveseat, a valveto close the-seat, a stem val qunte anc s ies f" e hanedlth mest tie rip 011 ;andosupnqrtine,thelv i n ac to close the valve on an increase :1n: temperature,. the. .closed ends of the members lying on thesame side of the stem.

- 5 Ag;\ air vent comprising, a casing having a valve seat, a valve to close the seat, a stem supporting the -valve,-,a dome: supported on 'thestem; theqstem supportingthe valve in normalsgposition; and a vertically aligned series of horizontally arranged u shapedg strips of thermostatic material to; close the valve of-thestenr. V.

6; v An air vent comprising a casing having a valve-seat, a valvetoclosetheseat, a dome. supported on the valve, a stem supporting the valve in; normal position, a vertically aligned series of horizontally arranged. u-shaped stripsiot thermostatic material to closethervalve and ascrew the casingzand supporting the stem, the screw being accessiblezfrom theoutsideof the casing. whereby the valve can be adjusted. I

7 An air ventvcomprising a casing having a valve seat at the v top, I a-stem to, close the seat," 'a-orod; oniwhich the stem is slidably supported a diskonthe-rod, a setof U-shaped thermostatic strips,- abutti-ng on; the stem and" ontheidisk, and-ascrewiin the casing and accessible fromthe outside-themed restingron the screw. r

8. An air vent eomprisingacasing having a valve seat therein, a valve tor closing the valveseattmeans; for supporting the. valve fromxbene'ath andgivingit limited side movo ment, anda series, of thermostatic members which contact, when expanded, out. of alignment wi-th theoaxis; ofi-theavalve, said series actingtto rai-se the valve to its sea-t under vthe influence of 'increasedtemperature.

9. An. air ;vent comprising valve casing with a va-lveseat therein, a looselysupported valve under the seatanid adapted tovclosevit and a series of, thermostatic members which abut and which contact under expansion at points-out oi line with the. axis vof the valve to ,closethe valve with. a slight vibration.

In. testimony whereof I. afiixamy signature.

EARL; s ALEX ER and; having their closed endslonithe sameside 

